Crawford avalanche. (Grayling, Mich.) 1879-19??, 1887-11-10

but no more he wouldn't allow no sea
lawyers to come aboard him and run
his ship.
"And if any of us felt as Pete did,
why, there was place for him along
with Pete, and if we didn't take drop
on it pretty quick, some one might get
taste of the cat.
"Now, that kind of argument is pretty
strong and convincing, and we under
stood that the only way to get out of
that was to buckle in and get the ship
full as quick as We could. and then we
could get away.
mo man shirked his duty, and the
second day Pete was back among us.
He'd submitted to the powers that be,
and promised not to make no more
prophecies that trip, If he burst blood
vessel trying to keep it in.
But he locked mighty solemn when
three days passed. and we had just
towed the last whale up to the side and
set in to get the blubber aboard.
I'VE worked hard, but it was no use
trying, and we had to leave part OF the
work for the next day. Prophet Peter
didn't speak, but I'd blamed sight
rather he'd howled like hurricane; it
wouldn't have scared me half SO much.
He went around with his jaw dropped,
his face pale as a ghost, and look on
it like he had given up all hope and was
just going TO die.
al wanted to bust him in the jaw I;
but what good would that dop I'd
liked to have seen him keel hauled
anything to take that awful look out of
his face; and i never felt happier than
did next day when the last of the blub-
ber came aboard, and we squared away
for the straits.
"We had been lodging ice ever since
we came out of the bay, and now when
We headed up to lay course, we found
plenty more of it. The most we met
was in scattered foes, some of them as
big as a house, and we lodged among
them as well as we could.
"Pete did his work like man, but
you could SEQ he was only doing it be-
O~s.~e-sA----s>---i-: Il.ak- -ha
thought it would do anybody any good.
"'We seem to be skipping along all
right, Pete, j says.
"'Wait until night he answers in a
hollow voice.
IL looked for a Delaying pin to hit
him with, but he sidled away and got
out of my reach. The next day went
all right and wo had plenty of room to
dodge the ice, and at night would be
the time " hen we must look out.
"In the middle watch that night
had the deck, with Pete as one of the
watch, and 1 saw him sneak forward
and take his station in the foretop. i
4 1..SE L. "A. Il. l. f<<1
his look made cold chills run down my
back and into my boots; so l went up
the main shrouds and into the top to
take n look There was nothing in
sight, and it was cold aloft, so slid
down and planked the deck to keep
warm.
Everything was going nicely, and I
was just beginning to think what fool
was to allow Pete Pulver to bother
me, when he came sliding down a
backstay, and ran up to me.
"'It's GOMEZ he Kissed. Tell the
mate he wouldn't believe me-
"'N hats Gomez l gasped.
"He pointed forward, and 1 saw a
sight such IS / never see afore in the
Northern seas. All around us, in front,
astcrn, on both bows, and on the quar-
ters, were great icebergs, and we had
crept among them without knowing it..
Pete Pulvers prophecy had come
true, for if we escaped from the net
into which the ship had thrust herself
it would be miracle.
Il sung out for the mate, and he
jumped up on the rail and took one look.
Call all hands, he sung out, hur-
ricdly, as he jumped down aga n.
You, there, Pete, rout out the Cap
tain
"The old man was on deck in mo-
ment, and he was too good sailor not
TO see the danger, and that the 'bergs
were closing in, and only quick work
could save us.
"Right ahead were two 'bergs, per-
laps two hundred fathoms apart. but
drawing in fast. On every hand we
were hemmed in, and his decision was
quickly made,
Set everything that will draw,
allow and alolt, Mr.. Trysail,' he or.
dered I'm going out of this pack.
Stetson, you take the wheel, and do as
L tell you, for your life.'
a, tetson, harpooner in the Captains
boat, laid his brown hand on the wheel
and the old man jumped up on the rail
where the helmsman could see him.
We swarmed aloit like flock of bees
and before you could think, the shiI
was packed from rail to truck. There
was good ten-knot breeze just ovel
the starboard quarter, and the Captlir
raised his hand.
"'Head her due west, you at the
wheel; steady-soP
"The ship swung round and headed
for the opening between the two 'bergs
We understood then what he meant Il
do, and though it was fearful risky, W.
knew we'll that it was the only thing
to do.
a he good ship seemed to know
what was expected of her, and fairl,
seemed to fly. The 'bergs we're closing
in, and we knew it would be toucl
and 60.
"But Captain Crafts stood like
statue on the rail, and his voice wa
steady as he spoke:
Port little-steady; that's we'll
The Cachalots horn went in be
tween the 'bergs, and every man hel,
his breath. III the ice extended unde
water further than we knew, 1T woul,
be the end of all.
"High above us loomed the tw'
'bcrss, with their lofty towers and tur
rets, and the space between scenes
perilously narrow.
'Starboard, therep ere the Cap
tain. Now, then--helm amidships.'
"There was an awful grating soun,
, along the keel, such sound as l move